ballaro



W. A BALLARD.. LUGGAGE Ummm.

APPLICATION FlLED FEB, 5. H215)J iNi/NToR.

2 SHEETS-SEEE? l.

MTGRNEY.

i si:

w. JQBALLARU.

LUGGAGE CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.-5. 1919.

Patented 06f. 7, 19121 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 CT-F.: Gy.

' INVENToR.

ATTORNEY.

WILLIAM BALLARD, OFSPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

LUGGAGE-CARRIER.

To'all ywhom t may concern.'

Be it known that'I, YViLLiAM' J. BALLARD, a'citizen of the United States, residing` at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in LuggageCar riers, of which the following is' a specifica-` tion.

gagezinay be safely and conveniently carried upon the running or foot board of an automobile or analogous vehicle, said duggage carrier being constructed and mounted 'so as to be folded into a small space and be out of the way when not' required for irnrirediataservice and yet adapted to be adjusted for use when required without neces4 .sitatingrecourse to tools or other appliances.

The .invention providcsa luggage carrier embodying means whereby itis secured to the ruiming board of a .vehicle in such manner that when the device is folded and not. adjusted for service itis out of the way and does not interfere with the free 'use' of Vthe .running board inthe accustomed way'.

.The drawings illustrate a preferred eind Howeven it is to meet different conditions,A various changes inthe form, proportion, and minor details 'of construction may be resorted 'to without departing from'the nature of the invention vas claimed hereinafter. f 'Referring to the accompanying drawings,

' `Figurey l is.' an edge .View of a running i --board providedwith a luggage'carrier em-Y bodying the invention, said carrier being inoperative position, -the dotted lines at the left showing a portion Vof the carrierl as it appears when folded. i Fig/2 lis a View ofthe under side of tho running board showing the luggageoarrier'- in' folded position. j

. 3 is an endy View ofthe carrier prof "vided with the standard havinga clamp at .its lower end, the running Vboard being in section;

Fig. liis an from the pivoted end.

" Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the run@ .nin 'board showing the luggage carrier in fol ed position' thereunder, the parts being iilustrated on a larger scale.

Fig. GTS a view similar to Fig. 5, the lug- Specication of Letters Yatent.

end view. of the 'carrier as seen 'rammed oca a', ieia.

Application filed rebruarys; .1919. sei-ia1rfo. ara-iai.

gage carrier being in-section in line with the barrel containing the operating spring.

Fig; 7 is a' detail view ofthe means wherey by lthe guards are secured when extended.

. reference characters.V .The primary intent of the present inveny tion is'.tlie provision of means whereby lug- The numeral 1 designates a running or'V foot board such` as vcommonly provided for automobiles and kindred motor vehicles. The

'luggage carrier is mountedjupon the runningboard 1 in manner `to fold thereunder 'so as to be out of the way and to extend vertically along the .outeredge thereof when in operative position to retain luggage thereon. Because of the length of ruiming boards as ordinarily provided it is prop osedto provide the luggage, carrier in similar or like sections hereinafter and will suiiicefor a clear understandiiigof both structures? since corre-` sponding and like parts will be designated by .like reference characters.` A backet 2 is secured to the outer edge of the running board, 1 by means; of a bolt The bracket 2 is Vformed with an opening 5 for a purpose to be explained more fully hereinafter. The

,innerend ofthe opening 5 is enlarged and internally threaded Lo receive a barrel or tube 6. l. T he opening 5 recives a rod 7 or like member which is mounted to have a limited vrotary and 'longitudinal movement therein. The rod 7 extends through the barrel or tube 6 and has a cap 8i secured tothe inner end thereof. An expansible helical spring 410' mounted 'on the'r'od 7 is housed within the tube or barrel 6: The outer end of the spring 10 is connected to the bracket 2 and itsinner end is engaged by the cap .8.' The sprin 10 exerts a two-fold pressureon the rod 7 t e one longitudinally to move the rod 7 inward and the other torsionallyto rotate the rod 7 .to hold its outer portion 12 in vertical'position iis-indicated most lclearly bythe full lines in Fig. 1 and the dotted l lines 'in Fig. '5. The bracket 2 has a projecting part 13 which constitutes a stop shoulder or ledge to limit the downward movement of the part 12 when lowered into horizontal position preliminary to folding .the carrier benath therunningl-board 1. The vpart 12 is disposed at a right angle to the rod 7 and preferably constitutes an integral part there- I of, being formed b bending a rod upon itself-at a right ang e. The element 12 constitutesja .supporting arm or lstandard to which the, guard portion of .the carrier is attached. y l. l y

The guard comprisesv a lazyv tongs strucstrips or bars. Clips 15 and 16 are loosely mounted upon the arm or standard l2 and the lazy tongsr 14v is connected at its inner end thereto. The lazy tongs 'is adapted to fo'ld, as indicated -mo'st clearly 1n F lgs. 2 and 5 and to be extended, as indicated in Fig. 1.

When the lazy tongs is eXtended and in operative posi-tion it is'disposed along the outer edge of the running board 1 so as to retain luggage thereon between the 0fuard and the apron 17' or like part along tr e inner edge of the running board.V The lazy tongs is adapted. to turn on the arm 12 so as to swing into a position to come beneath the ruiming board l. 1vVhen the lazy tongs is in folded position its end is engaged by a holder 18 which is secured to the under side of the running board. A bar 19 extending length-v wise lof the running board is secured at one end thereto and at its opposite lend to the barrel or tube -6 and has the holder laattached thereto. A spring 21 disposed wit-hin the holder 18 exerts a folded guard to prevent rattle. The end of rthe guard is retained in the holder 1'8 by the expanding tension of' the spring l() and this action of the spring 10 also serves to hold the lower end of the arm 12 on the stop shoulder or ledge 13. The torsional action of the spring 10 holds the guard against the under side of the running board and like- Wise tends to hold the guard in vertical position when adjusted for service. When the arm 12 is'drawn outward, to clear the outer edge ofthe ruiming board, it is turned into vertical position and is retained in such positicn by the torsional action of the spring 10. The bracket 2 constitutes a stop to limit the upward movement of the arm 12 when it assumes a vertical position. When the arm 12 is drawn outward the inner end of the folded guard is withdrawn from the holder 18 and said guard turns upon the arm 12 and assumes a pendent position, thereby admit* ting of the arm and guard being swung into an upright position along the outer'or front edge of the running board. The guard is then extended the required distance and is made secure at its free end. As indicated most clearly in Fig.. l the guard comprises ends of the lazy tongs are provided. with pressure upon the.

Lawaaicomplemental fastening means, whereby'to secure the guardswhen extended.

' The outer ends' of the members forming the lazy tongs of each guard are provided with complemental fastening means -where- 'by to secure them when the guard is adjusted into operative position. Astandard 22 lis provided for supporting the outer ends of the lazy tongs and is preferably attached to one of the lazy tongs structures and detach* ably connected with the companion lazy tongs structure. The standard 22 is provided at its lower end with a clamp 23 whereby it may be detachably connected with the outer edge portion of the running board l.

`The upper portion of the standard 22 is offset outwardly so as not to interfere with the lazy7 tongs and admit -of their alinement when in operativemposition. A clip or bracket 21 is Amounted upon the upper portion of the standard 22 and a bar 25 is connected thereto and projects vertically.' Horizontal mem lbers 26 and 27 are attached to 'the ends of the vertical bar 25 andV each comprises complementa] bars or elements which are transversely spaced. Qne of the lazy tongs-structures is permanently vconnected to corresponding ends of the members 26 and 27, whereas the other lazy tongs structure is de? tachably connected with the remaining ends of the members 26 and 27 as shown most clearly in Fig. 7., The free ends of the elements or bars comprising the member 27 are tongs -placed therebetween. One element of the lazy tongs is formed with a lateral notch 30 which receives the boltor fastening 29. The other element of the lazy tongs is provided with a hook 3l which is adapted to engage the fastening 28. In this manner the lazy tongs may be readily connected or disconnected as may be required. When the lazy tongs are disconnected, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 7 each may be folded beneath the running board, as indicated i'n Fig. 2, the standard 22 folding with the lazy tongs to which it is attached. When it is required to fold the carrier the contiguous lends of the lazy tongs are disconnected after which the guard is folded about, as indicated in Fig. 2, the arm or standard 12 being turned from a. vertlcal position into a horizontal position and the guard 14 being swung from a vertical position into a horizontal position and adjusted so that its free end Will engage the holder 18 and upon releasing the arm 12 the spring 10 will act to move therod 7 inward and thereby bring the arm 12 over the shouldered portion 13 lof. the bracket.v and press the end of the guard 14 into the holder Lerenti and retain `the parte in folded position. Strap loops 32 are applied to the upper ends of the arms osstandards 12 to receive straps whereby-luggage may be fastened on the running board.

The provision of the standard 22 enables the left hand carrier to be used solely as means for retaining luggage on the running board of an automobile particularly when such running board is comparatively short. However, when the running board is of the length such as usually provided for automobiles having front and rear seats it is desirable to provide the luggage carrier in two similar or like sectionsl substantially as herein indicated.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may be considered the preferred, or approved, form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my inven tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.. A luggage carrier for the running board of a vehicle, the same comprising a pivoted arm and a guard mounted on the arm to move therewith and having an independent movement to swing beneath the running board into folded position when the arm occupies a horizontal position.

' 2. A luggage carrier, comprising an arm, a folding guard mounted upon the arm, a holder for engaging the end of the guard when the latter is folded,4 and means for holding the guard in engagement with the said holder.

holder for receiving ythe end of the guard when folded and a spring coperating with the arm and guard to retain the latter in engagement with the holder.

4. In combination with the running board of a vehicle, a clamp, a rod mounted in the clamp beneath therunning board to receive a pivotal and a longitudinal movement and having an arm. at its outer end to project upwardly in front of the running board, a spring mounted upon the rod and normally tending to hold the arm in vertical position and to move the same inward and a guard mounted upon the a'rm to extend along the front edge of the running board and adapted to be folded beneath the running board when not required for immediate service.

5. A luggagecarrier, comprising a bracket having a portion formed with an opening and a projecting shoulder, a rod mounted in the opening of the bracket to turn and move longitudinally therein and, provided at its outer end with an arm adapted to engage the shouldered portion of the bracket, an

expansible helical spring mounted on the rod and having one end engaged by the bracket and its opposite end connected with the rod and normally tending to turn the.

rod and move the same longitudinally, and a folding guard mounted upon the said arm to swing thereon.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I WILLIAM J. BALLARD.

Witnesses i D. W. HEYDON, A. M. ALA'r'r. 

